Hat-trick down to new Gloucester style - Llewellyn

Max Llewellyn's hat-trick against Leicester Tigers sees his total of tries this Premiership season rise to five

Gloucester centre Max Llewellyn says the team's new game style is the key ingredient to his good form after scoring a hat-trick of tries during their narrow 29-26 loss against Leicester Tigers on Sunday.

The Cherry and Whites had an 11 point advantage heading into the interval courtesy of two tries from Llewellyn and one from Freddie Thomas.

However they could not hold on to the lead after the Tigers came out fighting, and saw their advantage wiped out in the first eight minutes of the second half.

Tigers moved further in front at 29-19 before Llewellyn's third score was converted to bring the deficit down to two points, but Leicester hung on.

"Discipline let us down in the second-half, which is really frustrating," Llewellyn told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"These are games we feel like we know we should be winning but it's just a learning curve for us."

The loss at Welford Road is not the first time Gloucester have relinquished an early lead to end up losing.

They could not capitalised on a fast start in their 31-27 defeat by Sale, in a game Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington called an "acid test" for their new approach to the season.

They also led Bath 21-10 before losing 55-31 at Kingsholm.

The Cherry and Whites have only won one of their first five Premiership matches after adopting a new attacking style of play but, while it may not yet be reflected in results, Llewellyn says it is starting to bring the best out of him.

"Everyone can see we are trying to play a lot more expansive and I think that just really suits my game," the 25-year-old said.

"It's obviously a lot of hard work, we are overloading a lot, but it's paying off and I'm getting into positions."

"With the hat-trick, I didn't actually do much of the hard work, I was just working hard to get into position.

"They were actually given to me so I've got to be thankful for that."